“We can detect it before your hands can”
With the rising number of breast cancer cases among women in Sri Lanka, one of the country’s leading private healthcare providers, Hemas Hospitals, introduced its new, state-of-the-art Selenia Dimensions mammography system in an effort to combat the growing trend and facilitate advanced detection and prevention capabilities for patients.
Cancers are considered to be among the top natural causes for human mortalities, and breast cancer has been leading the charts as the highest recorded type of cancer among women. This global epidemic also reflects its presence in Sri Lanka, as similar results have been drawn in terms of recorded cases and overall statistics.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer accounts for 13.4 percent of the total recorded cases of cancer in Sri Lanka in 2020. Among all women diagnosed with cancer, 25.7 percent are breast cancer, and in 2020, a total of 3,975 breast cancer cases were recorded.
With a shortfall of essential facilities and general awareness on breast cancer in Sri Lanka, the country suffers an alarming 42.5 percent mortality rate for breast cancer patients.
Similarly, in a global context, over 2.26 million cases of breast cancer were recorded in 2020, accounting for 12.5 percent of all recorded cancers around the world. Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women and the most common cancer overall.
Moreover, based on WHO data, breast cancer has developed a mortality rate of 30.3 percent, a risk faced by women diagnosed with breast cancer, which accounts for 25.8 percent of all cancers recorded among women.
While early detection and treatment is advanced in most developed countries, Sri Lanka is still facing the challenge of a lack of sufficient detection technology, as well as over-burdened government healthcare facilities in that sector, which has evidently shown that the country’s breast cancer survival rates have been relatively low due to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Consequently, Hemas Hospitals took proactive action to contribute towards minimizing the growing risk of breast cancer by introducing a new mammogram system at its Wattala premises on March 23rd 2023, which was unveiled by Hemas Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Kasturi C. Wilson.
“As we unveil the latest addition at Hemas Hospitals, a state of the art mammogram machine with the latest 3D technology, we mark a significant milestone in our commitment to women’s health. This machine which also has the ability to perform biopsies will allow the detection of early signs of breast cancer, enabling timely treatment and care. We encourage all women to prioritize their health and undergo regular mammogram screenings, as early detection is the key to successful treatment,” she noted.
The mammogram system obtained by the hospital is a Selenia Dimensions System 6000 Package. Its 3D MAMMOGRAPHY imaging capabilities set new standards for earlier detection of breast cancers and clearer lesion images, allowing for easy and accurate detection, well before anything can be felt by hand.
In essence, a mammogram is an X-ray image of the breast which doctors use to detect any early signs of breast cancer, and in some cases, the presence of a growing cancer in the breast can be detected up to three years before it can be physically felt. Most healthcare professionals opt for performing mammograms, as it has proven to be an excellent tool to spot breast cancer.
For the first time, patients in the Gampaha district can save time and money as they are no longer required to travel to Colombo, and don’t have to undergo uncomfortable and painful screening sessions from existing mammogram facilities in Sri Lanka.
Hemas Hospitals is confident that with its newly introduced mammogram facility, the hospital will not only lessen the burden for state-run hospitals, but will also enhance patient experience and satisfaction by offering a premium, safe and patient-centric service throughout all stages of their diagnosis, detection and treatment.
Furthermore, Hemas Hospitals Managing Director Dr. Lakith Peiris said: “The new state-of-the-art mammogram system has undoubtedly increased our capabilities to deal with breast cancer with the highest accuracy and confidence. We are excited to lead this evolution in Sri Lanka’s private healthcare sector, and look forward to other innovations and state-of-the-art technologies that Hemas Hospitals will introduce in the near future.”
Hemas Hospitals is now fully geared towards establishing the full ecosystem around breast cancer treatment. The newly introduced Breast Screening Clinic offers a variety of women’s wellness packages, and the capacity to provide necessary treatment, including surgical interventions on identified breast cancers.
